Frustrated!
 

I'm not having any luck quilting on my home machine. :( This is my third quilt, and the trouble is always the same with the ones that are bigger than a baby size. Even while using a walking-foot the fabric pushes so that I get creases sewn in! So I would like to try hand-quilting, I really enjoy busy work with my hands, but don't really know how to get started. I have a hoop and did some stitches tonight. But the rocking back and forth to make stitches I'm finding not easy to do. The needle doesn't want to come up through the fabric close enough to where it went in to make a small enough stitch. I hope that makes sense. Maybe I need a different size needle, I couldn't really tell exactly what I used because the package was labeled in a general sort of way, but didn't say which needle was which. Any advice? There's a local quilting guild that I'm thinking of joining, do you think that would be a help for a beginner? Thanks, ladies!

If you are using a hoop and quilting, you do not keep it tight like when doing embroidery, there needs to be a lot of give. There are plenty of examples on YouTube. I took a class and the instructor said you should keep a piece handy to sew a few minutes to get your rhythm before you start on the actual quilt.

There is a book called, "The Perfect Stitch, the Secrets to Fine Hand Quilting" by Dierdra McElroy that I found very helpful.

Checking out your local quilting guild is a terrific idea! There are most likely a wide variety of skills within the guild, and usually they're delighted to hook ... er, help someone new ... :)

I think the hand quilting stitch is the hardest thing in the world to describe adequately. The book that I found most useful initially was 'That Perfect Stitch' by Roxanne McElroy, who describes how she quilted perfect 12 stitches per inch on her first attempt, and all the other women had to get under the quilt to see that she was going all the way through, because they couldn't believe their eyes. :) But most people aren't such prodigies. She has the best pictures and descriptions, and is also extremely encouraging and inspiring. You can't believe the photos of these quilts. She is deceased now, but her daughter carries on.

I had to give up on the traditional quilting stitch after a couple of months, because there was too much wrist movement, tension and finger bending, and it aggravated my arthritis. Thanks to the quilting board, I saw someone mention another book, 'Perfect Hand Quilting without Pain', by Liuxin Newman. She is a woman who couldn't get a satisfactory stitch in spite of constant practice, and also she had terrible problems with the finger callous from pricking the underneath finger, so she developed a different kind of thimble and a different kind of stitch, which she calls the folding technique. She has a website (Thimblelady) where you can purchase her thimble -- with deeper dimples and fits down on the finger, rather than on the top -- for about $15 (when I bought it three years ago). It took me a long time to master this technique (it involves keeping a very loose quilt in the hoop, and folding the fabric around the needle rather than rocking the needle through the fabric), but I kept at it, and I can now quilt about 10-12 stitches per inch with no strain at all on my fingers or wrist!! I can't count the number of times I said, 'This is impossible!', but every time, I had only to glance at the pages of her book, each one having a close-up photograph of her amazing quilting stitches, to realize that it was possible. But it takes practice, practice, practice (for most people). The only way to get good stitches is to make lots of them. So it would be better to start on a quilt you aren't planning to give away.

A good needle makes an enormous difference. I couldn't believe how much easier it was to quilt after I ordered some of Roxanne's needles (size 10 betweens), through the Colonial Needle Co. The big problem for me was getting my spaces to be as small as my stitches. Don't worry about how small your stitches are at first. The important thing is to do a lot of stitching. As you get more used to the dynamics, your stitches will get smaller and more even. The principle of even stitches is, the needle has to go through perpendicular to the fabric. If your needle goes through the fabric at different angles, your bottom stitches will be smaller than your top stitches.

Having said all that, I'm sure there are many people here who could also encourage and help you with your machine quilting, if you want to do both. Good luck!

I haven't been part of a quilting guild, but I'm sure it would be very encouraging and instructive.

I understand the allure of hand quilting, but let me ask a question. You spoke of the creases (or puckers) when you machine quilt. How are you basting your quilt? Many people have switched to glue basting due to the ease and are finding that it helps with the puckers. By the way, glue basting isn't for hand quilting, just for machine quilting.

Tate

I have done two classes with eminent uk hand quilters, good friends as well. They both use a hoop one keeps fabric taute while the other is slack.i believe they alter each other's tension when together,hehehe.
Personally I prefer to hold in my hand to quilt. From both classes the message was keep stitches even in size. Smaller stitches come with time.
The rocking takes time as does the organising the size of the quilt.

Very informative posts, I will check out the books. I struggled too with hand quilting, especially trying to pick up the backing and sewing straight stitches.

Oh I could have written your post! I'm working on something at present which I guess could be called a utility quilt. Occasionally I get into something like a groove but often I find it difficult also. I think my fingers are teaching me what they can stand up to!

I hand quilted my second quilt. The middle section of it was done using online tutorials and has very big, very wobbly stitches! I was getting a lot of pain from it and I also found thimblelady! I bought a starter set which included her book, a set of plastic thimbles, a pack of needles, two marking pens, and a practice square (quite large, with a design drawn on for you). I worked my way through the book and completed the practice square. My stitches aren't perfect, but there was a massive improvement as soon as I got the hang of it! It was pretty expensive to get the kit, but i'm so glad I did! Hers is the first thimble I can actually use, because of the way it's designed and it has lovely deep holes for the needle to rest (and stay!) in! I have since upgraded to one of her metal thimbles because I love it so much!

I second everything joe'smom has to say. I'm totally convinced that the 'Thimblelady' method is the way to go. I'm on my 3rd thimble from there (first plastic; next 2 stainless steel). I don't, however, like her needles - too thin and bendy for me. I prefer Roxanne needles as well. I use anywhere from size 10 to 12, usually 11. The larger the number, the smaller the needle. Start with a larger needle and then work your way to smaller ones if you like. I highly recommend getting the Roxanne threaders as well since the eyes on those needles are really, really tiny!

Getting your stitches even and consistent is the first goal you want to achieve. Size comes with time and practice. And frankly, if you're not entering shows, does the number of stitches/inch really matter? I find that having the quilt very loose in the hoop (or using no hoop) allows me to get more consistent, smaller stitches. I tend to 'rock' the fabric vs 'rocking' my hand. I find it far easier to manage.

Joining a guild might just be the ticket for you. Or, if you have a LQS, I'm sure they have hand-quilting classes as well. And I agree with the poster who mentioned having a practice or scrap piece to get your rhythm going for a few minutes before working on your real quilt, at least until you get more proficient.

Good luck and enjoy.